2. Roll about two to three widths of the roller of the top coat on to create a vertical stripe. Immediately pull the putty knife down the wall in 12- to 18-inch sections, leaving a slight space between drags to mimic an individual bamboo stalk .

3. Quickly move over a bit to create a few more stalks, and then add an angled one that overlaps some of the others to make the effect more natural (figure A ).

4. Paint a plain area of the top coat color, and then continue with the technique (leaving the plain wall space is refreshing and makes the room less busy).